The present invention relates to a new and improved method of, and apparatus for, the manipulation or handling of products, particularly printed products, such as newspapers and magazines or the like. The invention also relates to a novel use of the inventive method.
During the processing of printed products, such as for instance newspapers and magazines, as the term "processing" is used in its broadest sense, i.e. to include among other things, the transport and storage of such printed products, the latter are frequently present in a more or less loose formation. Thus, for instance, the products can appear in an imbricated product formation or also in the form of a stack. For a great many working operations, it is then necessary to detach the product copies out of the relevant product formation and to then individually infeed the same to the automatic equipment provided for the processing thereof. On the one hand, it is necessary to ensure that the products arrive individually, and there are decisive either the characteristics of the processing machine for the fetching of the products or conversely, the machine must be controlled in accordance with the arrival of the products. At every opportunity it is absolutely necessary to be able to detect the products, then to be able to have them in so-to-speak "control" and to subject the same, in each case, to the momentarily prevailing processing requirements or, if such are governed by the products, then to find out the momentary operating principles which are to be observed. In other words, it can be stated that it is necessary in all instances and at each opportunity to define the products and the operating correlations which are decisive therefore. This requires, particularly when confronted with high processing speeds and products which vary as to their nature, size, contour and so forth, quite an appreciable expenditure, which must not merely be put forth one time, rather for the same product copies, numerous times during the course of their processing. Thus it is for instance clear that the product copies, following each stacking operation, for instance for the purpose of intermediate storage of the products or for the transport prior to further processing, must be once again defined.